How Was Fox Sports’ First Golf Coverage?

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, December 15th, 2014
Categories: Golf Media • Miscellaneous • Pro Golf
Tags: Fox Sports • Greg Norman

This past weekend at the Franklin Templeton Shootout was the debut of Fox Sports’ golf coverage, featuring Joe Buck and Greg Norman on the call. Golf websites are buzzing with opinions. The Greg Norman and Joe Buck lovers have great comments, and predictably the haters have criticisms. Some sites have penned several thousand word essays on the coverage, down to nitpicking every sentence and every transition from one camera angle to the next. Seems like a case of analysis paralysis to me.

I have not watched any golf on TV since the Ryder Cup. I’d much rather play golf than watch it. I don’t imagine I’ll watch any professional golf on TV until the 2015 Masters Tournament, so my take on Fox and their golf coverage can be summed up in one sentence:

“Too apathetic to care.”

What’s your take on the job Joe Buck, Greg Norman and crew did this past weekend?

Aerial Photos: Hidden Valley Country Club Mountain Course Hole #9 Redesign Underway

Written by: Tony Korologos | Saturday, December 13th, 2014
Categories: Golf Course Architecture • Golf Courses
Tags: Golf Utah • Utah • Utah Golf

Sandy, Utah 12/13/14 – I just got back from a quick aerial photo flight with my hexacopter at Sandy, Utah’s Hidden Valley Country Club. I lucked out between rain and snow storms to catch some photos of the redesign of the par-3 Mountain Course 9th hole. The hole is being moved to make room for the pending swimming pool which will open next year. The pool will be located in the soon to be former location of the Mountain 9th green. In these photos you can see the old green still intact. I presume when the shaping is ready for the new green, they’ll move the old surface over.

Hidden Valley Country Club Mountain #9 Redesign – click image to see larger version

In the photo below you can see that the new tee on Mountain nine looks to go through a chute of trees. Slightly reminds me of the 18th at Augusta National.

New tee box on lower edge of photo – click photo to see larger version

In the photo below you can see a photo shot directly above the old 9th green and the new 9th green location.

Right: me and my white car. Middle right: old 9th green. Middle lower-left: new 9th green (I presume)

For more Hidden Valley Country Club photos, visit the Hooked On Golf Blog Hidden Valley Country Club photo gallery.

Hooked On Golf Blog 10 Year Blogiversary – A Look Back at 2013-2014

Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, December 12th, 2014
Categories: Boneheads • Golf • Golf Babes • Golf Courses • Golf For Women • HOG World Tour • Miscellaneous • Site News

Here’s a recap of the highlights of the last two years as part of the Hooked On Golf Blog 10 year anniversary. Many interesting stories, both personal and in the golf world, happened over the last two years.

Dufnering was the biggest story of 2013

2013

Rory McIlory switched to Nike Golf.

Asher Golf’s James Roundy, a local friend, passed. Sad.

The Hooked On Golf Blog World Tour traveled to Bogota, Colombia.

I got to play golf with Web.com Tour star Kevin Foley in the Web.com Tour Colombia Championship Pro-Am.

Played golf at La Cima Golf Course, 10,000 feet above sea level in the Andes mountains.

Bye bye belly putter! USGA and R&A announced the ban on anchored golf clubs, beginning January 1st, 2016.

Played golf in St. Andrews for the second time. In high winds the Old Lady ate my lunch and crushed my confidence! I gained new respect for the Old Course.

I played Carnoustie, considered the toughest golf course in the world.

Carnoustie Golf Links – click for more images

On a trip to Cabo San Lucas I played the #1 (Diamante Dunes) and #2 (Cabo Del Sol) courses in Mexico.

I played every round from the first week of July to August 8th without losing a golf ball. 199 consecutive holes. Couldn’t make it to 200. Choker!

Latest Hooked On Golf Blog site design adapts to mobile devices.

A skinny female streaker who wasn’t quite naked ran at the Presidents Cup because “golf is boring.”

Jason Dufner won the inaugural “Most Entertaining Golfer of the Year” award with his internet craze, “Duffnering.”

2014

I posted an article in January with thoughts on how to change things up for 2014. I need to evaluate again, and see if I actually did any of that.

In one of the biggest moments in HOG history, I had a great interview with golf legend Gary Player.

A new hobby and passion for me surfaces, aerial photography and video. Perhaps one day it will graduate from hobby to money-maker. See photo below:

Salt Lake Country Club

Visited Washington D.C.

Can’t take the watermarking anymore. Had to post the 10 worst GolfWRX watermarked photos.

Miguel Angel Jimenez IS the most interesting man in the world, and his stretching video proves it.

Best golf photo of 2014: The Gretzky Boys.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant…

Did my first automotive review, the Hyundai Genesis.

I seriously consider quitting golf.

Played Rhodes Ranch in Vegas for the first time.

I post the Top 51 Things Golf Can Do Without.

I card my best finish in the Salt Lake Amateur, 2nd place. Win $500 in prize money.

I visit Michigan, highlighted by many great golf course rounds and a stop at the Henry Ford Museum.

Tried fly-fishing for the first time. Didn’t 3-putt once.

Posted a very information and educational article, “Things Golf Bloggers do to Make Themselves Look Like Idiots.”

Rory McIlory won the Open Championship.

Visited the Beautiful Paako Ridge Golf Course in New Mexico.

Rory McIlory wins the PGA Championship. Kid’s good.

Witnessed a hole-in-one. My opponent won that hole.

Top 10 Nauseatingly Repetitive Questions Golf Publications Keep Asking Over and Over….. and Over… Again… and Over

Craziest Round of Year Features TWO Eagles, Four Birdies

Won my SECOND club championship!

TaylorMade’s First FootGolf Shoe? The R15 FGZLDR Tour 360 SuperMegaOcto.

I used the internal GPS to find my stolen phone, which had traveled to Missouri.

Swam with pigs in the Bahamas. Yeah, you read that right.

Played Greg Norman’s Emerald Bay Golf Club in the Bahamas. Had lunch AND dinner with Greg Norman, then he tried to chop his arm off with a chainsaw then next day.

Shot of the year: I eagled a 470 yard par-4 by holing out from 173 with a 7-iron.

Stayed at the fabulous Sandals Emerald Bay in the Bahamas.

Possibly found a stretch for when my bad back goes out?

Hooked On Golf Blog 10 Year Blogiversary – Looking Back at 2010-2012

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, December 11th, 2014
Categories: Boneheads • Golf • Golf Babes • Golf For Women • HOG World Tour • Miscellaneous • Site News

This is the second to last look-back post celebrating the DECADE I’ve been blogging about golf here at Hooked On Golf Blog. Below are some quick comments including links to the original golf blog posts, featuring some key nuggets from the years 2010-2012.

2010

I took on a new job as National Sales Manager for the high end golf accessory company Sumi-G.

I handed over the Battle of the Golf Blogs crown to the Orlando Golf Blogger in Orlando at the PGA Merchandise Show.

Tiger Woods publicly apologized for his “transgressions.”

“Speed” is the year’s buzzword for marketing golf clubs. It’s always something.

Acushnet sold Cobra to Puma.

I attend the Puerto Rico Open.

I’m the first to break the news on the new TaylorMade R15 SuperMegaQuad Driver. See image:

TaylorMade R15 SuperMegaQuad

I attend my first Masters practice round. Here are some Masters photos you don’t see on TV.

I was asked to remove my photos of the TPC Sawgrass Yardage Book. Lame.

I got married. Golf babes worldwide go on suicide watch.

I added the “How Not To” category to the blog.

Possibly my most detailed and best review ever was the Potty Putter.

My dad and I win the Father’s Day tournament!

Rumors of Tiger Woods’s divorce start surfacing.

I visit the fabulous Gran Melia resort in Puerto Rico. That did NOT suck.

HOG gets a NEW LOGO! Big doings ’round here.

Tiger Woods divorced Elin Nordegren.

I put a new putter in the bag, Dornoch Putters by Grant Mackay. The Putter is STILL in the bag.

Europe wins the Ryder Cup.

“Cigar Guy” is the biggest rage on the internet for 2010.

Cigar Guy on right…

Tiger Woods starts using Twitter.

2011

Unfortunately in January I separated my shoulder skiing.

The Japan earthquake and tsunami made it hard to think about golf.

June and into July was perhaps the most insane HOG schedule in history. In 1.5 months I played in the Salt Lake City Amateur tournament, went to St. Andrews, played the Mesquite Am, played 72 holes in one day in four states, and traveled out of town to no less than 15 golf courses.

Met Kristen Williams, the world famous and mega cool Golf Chick.

People freak out because Bubba Watson wears a $525K watch which was loaned to him by watch sponsor.

Tiger Woods puts his yacht “Privacy” up for sale for $20 million. My attempts to get 20 million people to each chip in $1 and buy it with me fail.

I interview Fred Funk. What a cool cat.

Rory McIlory blew a huge lead in the Masters, but handled the loss with class.

Rookie Keegan Bradley records first win of PGA Tour career at the HP Byron Nelson and I WAS THERE. Shot the picture below:

Keegan Bradley HP Byron Nelson Champion 2011

Keegan Bradley HP Byron Nelson Championship – © Tony Korologos

HP invites me to cover the HP Byron Nelson Championship as resident blogger and social media expert. What a blast.

Golf world saddened as legend Seve Ballesteros died at the young age of 54. RIP Seve. You will be missed and always remembered.

Rory McIlroy destroys the field at the US OPEN shooting 16 under par and blowing away Tiger Woods previous US OPEN record score of -12. McIlroy set a number of records which may never be broken. I doubt Congressional will hold another major.

Tiger Woods’s caddie Steve Williams moves to Adam Scott’s bag for the US OPEN.

Steve Jobs died.

Me and my son Seve

2012

The biggest news of the YEAR for me was the birth of my son Seve Anthony. Yes, his name was inspired by Seve Ballesteros. Little Seve has been nothing but a joy. SO thankful.

On a sad note, I lost a golf buddy who I’d played 100’s of rounds of golf with. RIP Dave Shields.

I got to tour Golf Channel’s facilities, and even get a shot of myself behind the Golf Central desk. Fun stuff.

Sadly, the great golf announcer Jim Huber died.

TaylorMade bought Adams Golf.

I attended two practice rounds of the 2012 Masters Tournament. My comments and some photos of the 2012 Masters can be found here.

Golf architect Gil Hanse was named the designer for the Rio 2016 golf course.

I played 112 consecutive holes with one Callaway Hex Black golf ball. The people at Callaway thought that feat was so cool they sent me a whole box of them, or the equivalent of 1,344 holes.

Suzanne Pettersen, blonde Scandinavian golf babe, posed nude for ESPN’s Bodies magazine. That didn’t suck. Golf media trending toward link bait.

Suzanne Pettersen nude – Golf is awesome

Rory McIlory won the PGA Championship by EIGHT shots. Amazing performance.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, the wine drinking-cigar smoking golfer from the European Tour, broke a leg skiing. Fortunately the cigar made it unscathed.

The last and final Q-School EVER, graduated to the PGA Tour.

Hooked On Golf Blog 10 Year Blogiversary – Looking Back at 2007-2009

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, December 10th, 2014
Categories: Golf • Golf For Women • Miscellaneous • PGA Tour • Pro Golf • Site News • Tiger Woods

This is a continuation of the “look back” posts in celebration of the Hooked On Golf Blog 10 year anniversary. Today’s posts features highlights from the years 2007-2009.

2007

Square drivers became the latest golf marketing scheme.

Met Dave Pelz at the PGA Show, along with Ashley Prange from Big Break. Told Pelz I read his book. He asked me if it helped. I told him I was still waiting for my invitation to the Masters.

My awesome deadly Ping Zing putter was stolen. To the person who stole it: I hope the golf gods curses you with the yips and the shanks, for the rest of your life.

One of the more entertaining stories of 2007, strippers doing lap dances on golfers in a tournament. Sign me up.

Seve Ballesteros retired.

My now deceased friend Dave could catch his own golf shot. Rest in peace my friend.

Met Mark O’Meara. Great guy.

Visited the fantastic Bernardus Lodge and Winery. Loved it.

The blog had to go to a new dedicated server because it was melting the old shared hosting.

I visited a golf course that would forever change my world, Black Mesa Golf Club. Since going there I’ve made great friends at the course and played there dozens of times. Simply my favorite course in the USA. See pic below: